Operating on hilly ground. You level land guys are wimps!!

[scoutcub]

I hate to even open this can,,,, but your first picture is why I don't like a ballast box. Look how high your weight is added.

You know.....you're absolutely right. I completely forgot to lower the box.....

 

[PapaPerk]

Whoopie...

 

[SPYDERLK]

Hills, hills and more hills. Where can I get a tilt meter that goes over 25 degrees? I use a builder digital meter and a spirit level, no use when you are moving.

You dont need more than 25 degrees. Pegged at that side hill on a tractor youre near or past trouble.
larry

 

[ovrszd]

I've posted these pictures before but they apply here. I now mow this area with my JD2210. No worries at all.

 

[North Country]

I've posted these pictures before but they apply here. I now mow this area with my JD2210. No worries at all.

If the face of your bubble/level gauge isn't vertical you'll get inaccurate readings - in this case, it appears to be reading high.

Oh, and something's wrong with the color settings on your camera - the tractor looks orange. :laughing:

 

[RoyJackson]

If the face of your bubble/level gauge isn't vertical you'll get inaccurate readings - in this case, it appears to be reading high.

When first setting up a tiltmeter, one needs to "calibrate" it against a reference (don't assume you garage floor is level).
I used a regular bubble level (to establish "level" when I installed my tiltmeter.

 

[North Country]

When first setting up a tiltmeter, one needs to "calibrate" it against a reference (don't assume you garage floor is level).
I used a regular bubble level (to establish "level" when I installed my tiltmeter.

Not just side to side, but front to back. In this case, it appears to be tilted forward and reading 24 instead of the correct 22.

 

[chucko]

When I was a kid my granddad had the dealer put ditchwitch tires on the front of his kubota so he could mow his hills

 

[beppington]

Here is the originally posted picture, rotated clockwise 5 degrees:

 

[RoyJackson]

Not just side to side, but front to back. In this case, it appears to be tilted forward and reading 24 instead of the correct 22.

Just out of curiousity, how do you know it's 22 degrees?

Anyway, yeah...front to back (or, fore/aft as I prefer) should come into play if that degree of accuracy is required or desired.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

You know, a smart, enterprising fellow with a good tractor and time on his hands would do a leveling and terracing project on that sucker.

- Scrape off the top soil

- use a ripper and back blade to bring the top of the slope down.

- use bucket loader to haul rocks for the terrace retaining wall.

- use backhoe with thumb to set the rocks in the retaining wall.

- use the loader and back blade to replace the top soil.

- use a 3PH spreader to cover with alfalfa or some other restorative ground cover.

 

[North Country]

You know, a smart, enterprising fellow with a good tractor and time on his hands would do a leveling and terracing project on that sucker.

- Scrape off the top soil

- use a ripper and back blade to bring the top of the slope down.

- use bucket loader to haul rocks for the terrace retaining wall.

- use backhoe with thumb to set the rocks in the retaining wall.

- use the loader and back blade to replace the top soil.

- use a 3PH spreader to cover with alfalfa or some other restorative ground cover.

Sounds good. Who's paying? :laughing:

 

[cisco]

I expect it's fairly common for flatlanders to feel a bit uneasy when first working on a slope. I began to wonder about about tipping when digging out a pond, so got a tiltmeter (getting it more or less even is no big deal - just place level across, both ways, prior to bolting in). Turns out I was way off on estimation (and a wimp), as at 12 degrees had been concerned. Now, I'm comfortable up to ~18 degrees (ROPS, seat belt) working slow and on fairly level ground, cause as mentioned by others if a downhill tire drops into a modest hole, or an uphill tire goes over a rise, things can deteriorate quickly. Yeah, I know 20 degrees is still OK but the margin of safety on conventional tractors get a tad thin, and all it'd take is a hole under the downhill wheel and, whether the tractor tilted over or not, I'd have a coronary. You guys want to bushog on rough 25-30 degree slopes, have at it. Me, I'll watch from a hammock, sipping a beer, and have my cell's speed dial set to 911.

 

[North Country]

Me, I'll watch from a hammock, sipping a beer, and have my cell's speed dial set to 911.

When my buddies used to do the equivalent of "hold my beer and watch this" I'd say I was going to go inside (pre-cellphone) and dial "91." They didn't always get it.

 

[Don87]

I don't have a tiltmeter, but my 'puckerfactor' went totally haywaire just before me and my Cub Cadet slid down the bank sideways, in front of my house. The ground literally gave way underneath me. I must have mowed that spot a hundred times with no problems.

I refuse to mow that spot with my Massey. The weedeater is used there now.

 

[electrarc]

You have the machine for the slopes for sure!!:thumbsup:

While were talking about machines and slopes, have a look at the AEBI and Reform tractors from Switzerland
Products & Business areas - ASH Aebi Schmidt Holding

REFORM ｻ Reform

One of those things where "If you have to ask..." Even well used theyre over $45,000

Heres a very nice slidshow showing their machines in Switzerland. Beautiful countryside. Watch in HD Fullscreen. Their walking tractors are awesome! AEBI - SWISS QUALITY - Landtechnik - YouTube

Another Brilliantly shot HD slideshow

AEBI - SWISS QUALITY - Kommunal - YouTube

How about going on a 75% slope?
AEBI Terratrac TT270 climbing a 75% slope - YouTube


reform - YouTube

This is probably my favorite ROW clearing video, A Reform on steep hills running a front mount flail. Love how the 4WS keeps the tractor on the hill and heading the right direction.

Noremat-XP Reform-Mounty - YouTube

Of course there are north american products like the Kut Kwick and Dew EZE
but they're mowers only. Better not forget about the Ventrac/Steiner and Power trac Either but they arent in the same power class as the machines listed.
KutKwick ..." Hey, watch that pond!":thumbsup:
Kut Kwick, Corporation: Heavy Duty Commercial Slope Mower, The SuperSlopeMaster - YouTube

DewEze
Deweze ATM 162 Slope Mower - YouTube

I guess you could say living on a hill side makes me a bit of a fan of how others work on their slopes and what tools they use

Jason,

Thanks for the links, they are cool pieces of equipment. Well beyond my budget. My tractor is designed for crossing hills but I still find it hard to get comfortable. Seat belts save lives, they also stop me from falling off the seat.:laughing:

Cheers Zac

 

[Scooby074]

Out of my budget too, Zac

Just cool to see how countries have developed machinery to work on their specific terrain.

Another example is Antonio Carraro (or your Ferrari) out of Italy designed to work on the slopes of Italian Vineyards, or the huge Deere articulated tractors that work the massive farms on the prairies.

Sort of Darwinism applied to Tractors:laughing:

 

[Short Game]

One would think they'd have a gimbaled seat (and drink holder).

 

[ovrszd]

If the face of your bubble/level gauge isn't vertical you'll get inaccurate readings - in this case, it appears to be reading high.

Oh, and something's wrong with the color settings on your camera - the tractor looks orange. :laughing:

That's why I included the picture with the yellow rope dangling from the rollbar, it doesn't lie!!!

The orange tractor was lost in a shop fire, that's why I now mow with green.

 

[Cossack1917]

I think I found the answer to my prayers - the PERFECT tractor for my killer slopes!

cooltractor.jpg (image)